Gas Branded MasterCard's Shut Down by Citi

Citi closes gas-linked MasterCards without warning



Citigroup shuts down many MasterCards without warning consumers; letters sent 5 days later



By Eileen Aj Connelly, AP Personal Finance Writer



Breaking News: NEW YORK (AP) -- Shannon Burdette tried to pay with her Shell Mastercard after filling up her gas tank this weekend but found the card rejected.  Confused, she called the customer service line on the back of the card, issued by Citibank, and was told the account was closed because of something that appeared on her credit report. But when the Sykesville, Md., resident got a copy of her credit report online, the only negative thing she saw was "closed at credit grantor's request" on the Shell MasterCard account.



"They said there was a routine review," said Burdette, who maintained that she and her husband, Brian, used the card regularly and always paid the bill on time.  Burdette isn't alone. People across the country have been reporting similar experiences in postings on various consumer Web sites.



Citi confirmed the basics. The bank said in a statement it "decided to close a limited number of oil partner co-branded MasterCard accounts." That includes not only Shell, but Citgo, ExxonMobil and Phillips 66-Conoco cards.



The close date was Wednesday, and letters were sent out Monday to customers informing them of the change, a Citi spokesman said. The bank would not say how many cards were shut down or how much available credit they represented.



But unlike the bank's move to shut down its Home Depot cards, Citi did not discontinue the sale of these cards altogether. It is still accepting applications, promising rewards like 3 percent cash back on fuel purchases and 1 percent cash back on other spending.



No law, including the Credit CARD Act that has started to take effect, prevents banks from closing down credit accounts without warning. Credit card issuers all maintain the right, typically listed in the fine print on credit card agreements.



Citi would not say why the cards in question were shut down, issuing a statement that said only it continuously evaluates its products. "It is kind of an extraordinary action, but these are extraordinary times," said Ben Woolsey, director of marketing and consumer research for CreditCards.com.  He noted that Citi is not the healthiest bank. In fact, Citi posted $8 billion in consumer credit losses for its third quarter last week, including both mortgages and credit cards. Like many banks with big consumer lending portfolios, Citi is expecting defaults on credit cards to rise in coming months. Credit card delinquencies typically track the unemployment rate, which is at 9.8 percent and is expected to top 10 percent soon.



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SWIPE OUT PHISHING!

In the article below the author first suggests that phishing works because the majority of web users are not technically savvy, then goes on to say that even technically savvy users are falling victims to the next generation online banking Trojans such as urlZone.  Thanks for clearing that up. 



Guess you could say that phishing is successful because the most technically savvy people are the bad guys.  There is one way to eliminate phishing.  Eliminate what they phish phor.  And what is that you may ask?  Any form of online banking credentials that must be "typed"/"entered" into the browser space.   If the information is not typed, but instead swiped and encrypted outside the browser space then we will have created an empty "net."  And if the "net" came back empty every time the phishers threw it out there, they would stop phishing.  There's only one way to wipe out phishing altogether, and that's to swipe vs. type. 

Can Smartphone Mobile Banking Can Thwart Phishing Attacks

Online phishing has become a very serious problem and the root of the problem is the fact that the majority of computer users are not very technically savvy. Thus they fall easy prey to phishing attacks since they lack the instinct to check things such as a web browser's site address or security certificate. However even technically savvy users are falling victims with attacks such as the online banking re-write attack. In this attack cybercrooks are hiding evidence of a victim's diminishing bank balance by rewriting the online bank statements on the fly within the web browser!



As mobile banking becomes ever more popular it will most definitely be subject to similar attacks. The damage will likely be more severe since the penetration rates of mobile phones are higher than computers, and the average user is less familiar with a phone's extended features to be able to spot a potential attack.



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CyberSource Payment Tokenization Now Includes Automated Account Updating

Increases Payment Security Protection for Merchants and Consumers



MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.- October 19, 2009 - PIN Payments News Blog - CyberSource Corporation [NASDAQ: CYBS] today announced the incorporation of automated account updating services into its suite of Enterprise Payment Security 2.0 solutions. Customer billing records tokenized in CyberSource's remote secure storage servers can now be automatically updated with new account information (such as bank card expiration data or replacement card number) via the CyberSource Account Updater Service.



With tokenization, when payment transactions are sent to CyberSource for processing, CyberSource, not the merchant, stores the raw payment data in its secure systems and assigns each transaction a string of characters, a "payment token." Payment tokens enable merchants to use transaction information for tasks such as recurring billing, issuing credits, all without exposing the actual data of the transaction. Finally, tokenization does not involve storing or keeping track of monetary values of cards. The form of the tokens and their functions render them useless to hackers or even to merchant employees who might wish to make illegal use of customer data.



"The point of integrating tokenization with account updating is to simultaneously increase the accuracy of customer billing data and decrease the need for employees to handle that data," said Kirsten Fry-Sanchez, Vice President, Product Management. "Customer card information will be kept current and less likely to fail. Payment information remains tokenized, protecting the integrity of transaction data." This advance builds on CyberSource's growing suite of payment security solutions designed to eliminate payment data exposure in merchant environments per Enterprise Payment Security 2.0 principles. No other payment service provider has integrated account updating services with payment tokenization/remote secure storage solutions.



More on Enterprise Payment Security 2.0

The design principles of Enterprise Payment Security 2.0 call for merchants to eliminate payment data exposure at three points of interaction: storage, capture/transmission, and back office administration. CyberSource helps merchants achieve this with a suite of solutions that includes payment tokenization and remote storage of payment data, hosted payment acceptance for data capture, and outsourced services to cover back office functions that require manual processing. Together, these solutions can lower merchants' payment security risk, while also reducing the scope, cost and complexity of payment security compliance. For more information see: http://www.cybersource.com/products_and_services/payment_security/



More on CyberSource Account Updater

Account Updater automatically updates merchants' customer payment data records stored on CyberSource remote secure storage servers via automatic feeds from the card brands. Since the payment data is kept current, merchants process both recurring and on-demand transactions with fewer authorization failures. The updates are automatically applied to stored data, thereby eliminating any need for contact with merchants' staff or systems. "We've offered Payment Tokenization with Remote Secure Storage since 2006," Fry-Sanchez continued. "We have established a strong customer base over those three years and learned a great deal in the process. CyberSource Account Updater is another important tool we're introducing to help customers reduce payment data exposure and enhance revenue capture by reducing the likelihood of order failure."



Availability

CyberSource Account Updater is available now for customers using CyberSource's integrated merchant account services, with support for additional configurations to follow. About CyberSource

CyberSource solutions enable electronic payment processing for Web, call center, and POS environments. CyberSource also offers industry-leading risk management solutions for merchants accepting card-not-present transactions. CyberSource Professional Services designs, integrates, and optimizes commerce transaction processing systems. Approximately 273,000 businesses use CyberSource solutions, including half the companies comprising the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is headquartered in Mountain View, California, and has sales and service offices in Japan, the United Kingdom, and other locations in the United States including Bellevue, Washington and American Fork, Utah. For more information on CyberSource please visit www.cybersource.com or email info@cybersource.com. For more information on Authorize.Net small business solutions, please visit www.authorize.net or email sales@authorize.net.



Editorial Contact:

Bruce Frymire

CyberSource Corporation

650.965.6042

bfrymire@cybersource.com


Source: Company Press Release



© 2009 CyberSource Corporation. All rights reserved. CyberSource is a registered trademark in the U.S. and other countries. Authorize.Net is a registered trademark in the U.S. All other brands and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Tempo and First Bank & Trust Forge Affinity Debit Card Alliance

SAN MATEO, CA — Tempo announced today a strategic alliance with First Bank & Trust, part of Fishback Financial Corporation of South Dakota, for issuance of affinity and co-branded debit cards.



The relationship is a vital element in Tempo’s introduction today (see: “Tempo Ushers in New Era of Affinity and Co-Branded Debit Cards”) of a new Web-based platform that enables organizations to quickly and easily offer open loop, partner-branded debit cards to customers, contributors and members. Tempo’s platform enables these cards to be linked to cardholders’ pre-existing checking accounts.



“With First Bank & Trust as our partner, we are able to provide a broad range of organizations with the ability to offer affinity debit cards to their customers, contributors or members, for use virtually anywhere,” said Tempo CEO Mike Grossman.



In another related announcement today (see: “Non-Profit Groups Announce Affinity Debit Cards”) Tempo announced the launch of its first affinity debit card programs with the Breast Cancer Fund, Greenpeace and the Surfrider Foundation.



“Tempo’s affinity debit card platform will spur a broad range of new debit card options for consumers,” said First Bank & Trust President Kevin Tetzlaff. “We are always looking for new, innovative ways to enhance our business and we are very excited about our partnership with Tempo.”



###



About First Bank & Trust



First Bank is part of Fishback Financial Corporation, South Dakota’s largest bank holding company with assets of over $1.6 billion. Family owned and operated since inception, the organization is built around the Fishback family’s philosophy that bankers can be both conservative risk managers and entrepreneurs — a philosophy that has guided the organization since 1880. Today, Fishback Financial owns five banks in South Dakota and Minnesota, as well as a number of nonbank subsidiaries. Visit us online at www.fishbackfinancial.com.



About Tempo



Tempo is the leader in enabling organizations to quickly and easily offer affinity and co-branded debit cards to their customers, contributors and members. The open loop cards are rewards-based, partner-branded, and linked to the consumer’s existing checking account. Tempo provides its affinity partners with a Web-based platform that makes it easy to launch and market co-branded debit programs. The partners benefit by generating new revenue, and building loyalty through the delivery of enhanced cardholder value. Tempo is privately held and is headquartered in San Mateo, CA. For additional information, visit www.tempo.com.



Tempo Media Relations:

Pete Bartolik

508-283-4112

pete@bartolik.com

These cards are issued by First Bank & Trust, Brookings, SD. First Bank & Trust is a member of the FDIC and part of the Fishback Financial Corporation.

Non-Profit Groups Introduce Affinity Debit Cards

Breast Cancer Fund, Greenpeace and Surfrider Foundation Offer New Open Loop

Debit Cards Powered by Tempo

SAN MATEO, CA — Oct. 19, 2009 — The Breast Cancer Fund, Greenpeace and Surfrider Foundation today introduced revolutionary affinity debit card programs that will generate charitable contributions from members’ everyday purchases. In addition, the three organizations are offering the first payment cards in the U.S. made of PETG, an alternative to the PVC plastic used in virtually all payment cards today.



The programs are managed by Tempo, which today introduced a new affinity debit card platform (see related press release: “Tempo Ushers in New Era of Affinity and Co-Branded Debit Cards”),and the cards are issued by First Bank & Trust of Brookings, SD, part of Fishback Financial Corporation. Tempo’s platform enables these cards to be linked to cardholders’ pre-existing checking accounts.



Affinity debit cards represent a new fundraising option for non-profits, which receive contributions based on standard card transaction fees each time members use their cards for purchases. Cardholders can use their cards anywhere Debit MasterCard cards are accepted and also enjoy cash-back and ATM withdrawal access to their existing checking accounts.



Executives of the three organizations issued the following statements:



Jeanne Rizzo, President and CEO, Breast Cancer Fund — “We are extremely pleased to offer our supporters a Breast Cancer Fund Debit MasterCard that will result in effortless contributions. This is an exciting new fundraising vehicle that will support our work to identify and advocate for the elimination of environmental and other preventable causes of breast cancer.”



Mark Smith, Development Director at Greenpeace — “We are thrilled to offer members a new contribution option to help fund our efforts to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. This is a great opportunity to leverage members’ everyday transactions to the benefit of our cause. We’re especially pleased to offer cards produced with PETG, which we know to be a better alternative for health and the environment.”



Steve Blank, Director of Development, Surfrider Foundation — “We will encourage our members to obtain our new Debit MasterCard card, which will support our efforts to confront water pollution, maintain free and open beach access, reduce beach loss and protect unique coastal environments.”



Working with First Bank & Trust, Tempo manages all aspects of card issuance, including risk management, application processing, card fulfillment, authorization and settlement. Tempo’s Web-based platform also makes it easy for members of the three organizations to apply, activate their cards, and track purchases online.



“These three organizations are leading the way to a new era of debit card use,” said Tempo CEO Mike Grossman. “Debit is now the preferred payment vehicle of consumers and Tempo’s platform makes it possible for virtually any non-profit organization to quickly and easily offer affinity debit cards linked to consumers’ existing checking accounts.”



Organizations of all types can now provide affinity debit cards and market rewards aimed at motivating their target consumers, such as cash-back or charitable contributions, at no additional cost to the cardholder.



###



About First Bank & Trust

First Bank is part of Fishback Financial Corporation, South Dakota’s largest bank holding company with assets of over $1.6 billion. Family owned and operated since inception, the organization is built around the Fishback family’s philosophy that bankers can be both conservative risk managers and entrepreneurs — a philosophy that has guided the organization since 1880. Today, Fishback Financial owns five banks in South Dakota and Minnesota, as well as a number of nonbank subsidiaries. Visit us online at www.fishbackfinancial.com.



About Tempo

Tempo is the leader in enabling organizations to quickly and easily offer affinity and co-branded debit cards to their customers, contributors and members. The open loop cards are rewards-based, partner-branded, and linked to the consumer’s existing checking account. Tempo provides its affinity partners with a Web-based platform that makes it easy to launch and market co-branded debit programs. The partners benefit by generating new revenue, and building loyalty through the delivery of enhanced cardholder value. Tempo is privately held and is headquartered in San Mateo, CA. For additional information, visit www.tempo.com.



Tempo Media Relations:

Pete Bartolik

508-283-4112pete@bartolik.com

These cards are issued by First Bank & Trust, Brookings, SD, pursuant to a license by MasterCard� International Incorporated. First Bank & Trust is a member of the FDIC and part of the Fishback Financial Corporation.

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Tempo Ushers in New Era of Affinity and Co-Branded Debit Cards

Introduces Web-Based Platform that Enables Organizations to Offer
Open Loop Debit Cards with Innovative Rewards

SAN MATEO, CA — Oct. 19, 2009 — Tempo today introduced a new Web-based platform that enables organizations to quickly and easily offer affinity and co-branded debit cards to customers, contributors and members. These organizations can now provide open loop debit cards and offer rewards ranging from cash-back to charitable contributions. The debit cards enabled by Tempo are issued by First Bank & Trust, of Brookings, SD, part of Fishback Financial Corporation. Tempo’s platform enables these cards to be linked to cardholders’ pre-existing checking accounts.

Tempo-enabled debit cards are affinity partner-branded, generate valuable cardholder rewards, and can be used for online and offline purchases and ATM withdrawals. In a related announcement today, the Breast Cancer Fund, Greenpeace and Surfrider Foundation unveiled Tempo-powered debit card programs that will generate fundraising contributions from everyday purchases (see related press release: “Non-Profit Groups Announce Affinity Debit Cards”).

“Tempo makes it possible to leverage the growing consumer preference for debit cards as the primary payment vehicle,” said Tempo CEO Mike Grossman. “Our Web-based platform enables organizations to quickly and easily offer affinity and co-branded debit cards, and for customers, contributors and members to select a debit card that is aligned with the organization of their choice.”

Tempo’s new solution is supported by an innovative software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology platform, which makes it easy for organizations to offer affinity and co-branded debit cards. It is also easy for consumers to apply, activate their cards, and track purchases online. Working with First Bank & Trust, Tempo manages all aspects of card issuance, including risk management, application processing, card fulfillment, authorization and settlement.

Organizations can now offer debit cards and motivate their target consumers with rewards such as cash-back or charitable contributions, at no additional cost to the cardholder.

###

About First Bank & Trust

First Bank is part of Fishback Financial Corporation, South Dakota’s largest bank holding company with assets of over $1.6 billion. Family owned and operated since inception, the organization is built around the Fishback family’s philosophy that bankers can be both conservative risk managers and entrepreneurs — a philosophy that has guided the organization since 1880. Today, Fishback Financial owns five banks in South Dakota and Minnesota, as well as a number of nonbank subsidiaries. Visit us online at www.fishbackfinancial.com.

About Tempo

Tempo is the leader in enabling organizations to quickly and easily offer affinity and co-branded debit cards to their customers, contributors and members. The open loop cards are rewards-based, partner-branded, and linked to the consumer’s existing checking account. Tempo provides its affinity partners with a Web-based platform that makes it easy to launch and market co-branded debit programs. The partners benefit by generating new revenue, and building loyalty through the delivery of enhanced cardholder value. Tempo is privately held and is headquartered in San Mateo, CA. For additional information, visit www.tempo.com.

Tempo Media Relations:
Pete Bartolik
508-283-4112
pete@bartolik.com

MasterCard CEO Named Top Wealth Creator by Chief Executive Magazine

When it arrived in my mailbox I immediately recognized MasterCard's Robert Selander on the cover of this months issue of Chief Executive and look forward to reading the article. 



The Applied Finance Group's "Value Expectations" had an interesting story on the story.  Here is the link to the full story. 



Below is an excerpt on MasterCard's CEO.

In the second annual Chief Executive/Applied Finance Group Wealth Creation Rankings, we access the best and worst performers among the S&P 500 over the last three years



It’s been a brutal period for wealth creation. Yet some CEOs have managed to improve their performance. In its second year, the wealth creation index developed by Chief Executive, Applied Finance Group, and Drew Morris, CEO of Great Numbers!, seeks to identify those business leaders who have done the best job of creating true economic value. The Index (see “Ranking CEO Wealth Creation,”) leans heavily on Economic Margin (operating cash flow less an appropriate capital charge over invested capital) as a metric to get at what really counts, which accounting measures such as EPS and even ROC are less able to do.

Creating value is, after all, what the CEO is hired for. And as an objective measure of real value EM holds up better than most, even when share prices tank as they have over the last 18 months. To get a fair assessment of management’s impact on value creation, we only rank CEOs who have been in their jobs for a minimum of three years.



Topping the rankings in 2009 is MasterCard’s Robert W. Selander, up from third place last year. Both Selander and runner-up Federated Investors’ J. Christopher Donahue run very high EM companies (24.5 percent and 20.6 percent three-year averages, respectively). Interestingly, both have been able to improve in a bad economy. The projected EM for both companies for 2010 is close to 28 percent. To paraphrase the old Memorex TV commercial, is Selander’s success real or is it the business model? In other words, does MasterCard excel because of the leadership skills of Selander (and his team) or thanks to an operating system developed sometime in the late 1960s and honed since?

After all, the credit card payments system now operates in 200 countries, with 1.6 billion credit card holders around the world. Still, Selander suggests the laurels are equally shared. “We operate in a good industry,” he allows, “but we have been able to adapt and adjust our execution as consumer spending fell.” Among other things, he points to 8 percent growth in transactions in the second quarter of 2009—the pit of the recession for consumers—compared to the same period last year. During the same period the company lowered operating expenses 13 percent.



Since becoming CEO in 1997, Selander has been a big believer in scenario planning and values adaptability when economic conditions change. When the company consolidated with Europay, its European operation, MasterCard became a global brand and had to get its payments technology infrastructure under control. In 2006, it became a public company. In creating value for shareholders, the company seeks to get net income and operating margin at acceptable return levels. Once that is achieved, “we look for growth in net income and improvements in operating margin. After that we look to revenue growth rates,” says Selander.



There are obvious advantages to the MasterCard business model. Unlike most industries, it is not capital intensive and doesn’t worry about balance sheet, or plant and equipment risks, so much as it does counterparty settlement risk. It mitigates that by having collateral provided or insisting on guarantees that lower its risk profile. “Our focus on improving operating margins enables us to improve operating cash flow as well,” says Selander. “We have a multiyear objective of a 3 to 5 percent improvement annually in operating margin, which we’ve met or exceeded during the last several years. And we expect to do so again this year.”



Although Visa is its major brand rival, both operations still compete with cash and checks for payment market share. The next frontier is the migration of payment transactions to platforms other than plastic cards, such as mobile phones...

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Fifth Third Now Issuing World Debit MasterCard

Contacts

Tristan Jordan MasterCard Worldwide +1 914-249-5724

Fifth Third Bank Issues World Debit MasterCard to Bring Enhanced Value to Customers’ Everyday Spending

Debit Card Offers Enhanced Rewards, Exclusive Offers and Greater Consumer Protections

Purchase, N.Y., Oct. 19, 2009 -- MasterCard Worldwide (NYSE:MA) today announced that Fifth Third Bank is now issuing the World Debit(TM) MasterCard® card, the industry's only premium debit card that provides U.S. consumers with access to enhanced rewards, unique offers and savings opportunities and greater purchase protection. By offering World Debit MasterCard to its customers, Fifth Third Bank is now providing a custom-tailored debit product that meets the unique, everyday spending needs of its high-spend and reward-seeking debit cardholders.



"The Fifth Third Bank World Debit MasterCard provides our customers with a premium payment product that features a rich mix of relevant rewards, security, protection, financial control, and exceptional customer service," said Jon Groch, Fifth Third Bank director of Bankcard Services. "This enhancement to our card program will help ensure that our cardholders enjoy added premium value combined with strong rewards specifically matching their payment needs."



World Debit MasterCard cardholders are eligible for exclusive rewards offerings, including an exceptional rewards point program, and premium access to the MasterCard Savings(TM) program, an innovative savings program that provides U.S. consumer debit and prepaid MasterCard cardholders with significant merchant-funded discounts and special offers from thousands of merchants across the country. In addition, they can enjoy enhanced built-in security features and consumer protections for greater peace of mind when shopping. The Fifth Third Bank World Debit MasterCard also features access to Priceless.com/World, through which cardholders gain unique access to events and games and can take advantage of exclusive opportunities for hotels, shopping and travel.



Groch adds, "The Fifth Third Bank World Debit MasterCard also is a key feature of the Bank's new Rewards Checking package, offering customers reward points for their everyday banking activity including debit card purchases and direct deposits to their checking account."



"Consumers today are turning to their debit cards, instead of cash and check, for everyday purchases," said Patricia Preston, senior vice president, U.S. Debit Product Management and Development, MasterCard Worldwide. "By adding the World Debit MasterCard to its debit portfolio, Fifth Third Bank will accelerate this trend for its high-usage cardholders, by further increasing the benefits that paying with a debit card provides to this important customer segment."



The World Debit MasterCard card is designed to maximize the benefits realized by high-spend and reward-seeking consumers who choose debit as their method of payment. Like other financial demographics, these consumers are increasingly turning to debit cards for their everyday purchases to help manage their spending. Debit remains among the fastest growing forms of payment as consumers continue to migrate to electronic payments and away from cash and checks.



Features of the Fifth Third World Debit MasterCard include:

• Enhanced rewards program - Cardholders can earn one point for every $1 spent on signature purchases, and enjoy no limit on how many rewards points they can earn each year.


• When combined with the Fifth Third Rewards Checking account, customers also can earn one point for every $10 in direct deposits to their checking account.


• MasterCard Savings Plus(TM) - World Debit MasterCard cardholders gain premium-level access to MasterCard Savings, which provides Debit MasterCard cardholders with merchant-funded discounts and benefits, such as limited-time offers, free shipping and hundreds of special offers each day from thousands of merchants (standard access is free to all U.S. consumer Debit MasterCard cardholders). Premium-level access, a $29.95 annual value that is included in this program, enables World Debit MasterCard cardholders to take advantage of enhanced savings (ranging from 20 percent to 50 percent), as well as special events. (www.savings.mastercard.com )


• Personal security benefits - including Zero Liability to prevent cardholder liability in the event of unauthorized use of a card, ID Theft Resolution that provides credit bureau notification, ID Theft Affidavit and other services, and Wallet Protection for reporting and locking out lost or stolen cards.*


• Purchasing peace of mind - in the form of programs for Purchase Assurance, Satisfaction Guarantee, Price Protection and Extended Warranty.*
  
  

*Certain terms and conditions apply.



About Fifth Third Bank



Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Company has $116 billion in assets, operates 16 affiliates with 1,306 full-service Banking Centers, including 100 Bank Mart locations open seven days a week inside select grocery stores and 2,371 ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending, and Investment Advisors. Fifth Third also has a 49% interest in Fifth Third Processing Solutions, LLC. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of June 30, 2009, has $180 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $24 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ National Global Select Market under the symbol "FITB." Member FDIC.



About MasterCard Worldwide



MasterCard Worldwide advances global commerce by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, businesses, cardholders and merchants worldwide. As a franchisor, processor and advisor, MasterCard develops and markets payment solutions, processes approximately 21 billion transactions each year, and provides industry-leading analysis and consulting services to financial-institution customers and merchants. Powered by the MasterCard Worldwide Network and through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus®, MasterCard serves consumers and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information go to www.mastercard.com .





Source: Company press release.

Bill Me Later Service Available For Ebay And PayPal

SAN JOSE, Calif.-- Giving customers even more choice in how they pay online, eBay and PayPal now offer Bill Me Later as a payment option during checkout.



With Bill Me Later, qualified eBay and PayPal customers in the U.S. can now manage their budgets more easily, buying items quickly and effortlessly and paying for them over time, without using a credit card.



On eBay, Bill Me Later will be available as a payment option for both Buy It Now and approved auction purchases. Qualified customers can also use Bill Me Later at tens of thousands of their favorite online merchants that accept PayPal Express Checkout. When customers select the PayPal checkout button, Bill Me Later will be available as a funding choice along with their stored PayPal balance, bank accounts or credit cards. Customers select Bill Me Later as their funding choice and follow simple steps to take advantage of the payment flexibility, convenience and security that Bill Me Later offers.



"Bill Me Later is the perfect complement to PayPal and eBay," said Sam Shrauger, vice president of global product strategy for PayPal. "By offering Bill Me Later as part of the PayPal payment service, customers now have the choice to buy the

items immediately and pay for them when they want with Bill Me Later`s flexible financing options."



"Bill Me Later provides a great e-commerce experience for eBay buyers and sellers, and we`re excited to give our customers an easy, safe new way to pay just in time for the busiest shopping season of the year," said Dinesh Lathi, vice president of buyer and seller experience of eBay Marketplaces.



For merchants, Bill Me Later helps increase sales and higher average order values by giving consumers promotional financing options and deferred payments, such as no payments for 90 days.



To use Bill Me Later directly, consumers simply select Bill Me Later as their payment choice, enter top-of-mind information including their date of birth and the last four digits of their social security number and accept the terms. Bill Me Later uses a real-time credit model to make decisions about credit within seconds, so consumers don`t have to complete a lengthy application prior to making a purchase. PayPal customers will be able to access their Bill Me Later statements directly from their PayPal accounts, with the option to pay their Bill Me Later balances with PayPal.



About PayPal



PayPal is the faster, safer way to pay and get paid online. The service allows members to send money without sharing financial information, with the flexibility to pay using their account balances, bank accounts, credit cards or personal financing. With more than 75 million active accounts in 190 markets and 19 currencies around the world, PayPal enables global ecommerce. PayPal is an eBay company and is made up of three leading online payment services: the PayPal global payments platform, the Payflow Gateway, and Bill Me Later. More information about the company can be found at https://www.paypal.com. 



About eBay



Founded in 1995, eBay Inc. connects hundreds of millions of people around the world every day, empowering them to explore new opportunities and innovate together. eBay Inc. does this by providing the Internet platforms of choice for

global commerce, payments and communications. Since its inception, eBay Inc. has expanded to include some of the strongest brands in the world, including eBay, PayPal, Skype, StubHub, Shopping.com and others. eBay Inc. is headquartered in San Jose, California.



Head of Public Relations at Bill Me Later

Sara Parker, 443-921-1820

sara.parker@billmelater.com

or

Access Communications for Bill Me Later

Beth Gardiner, 917-522-3522

bgardiner@accesspr.com



Source: Company Press Release

Jack Henry & Associates to Provide Webcast of First Quarter Fiscal 2010 Earnings Call

MONETT, Mo., Oct 19 -PIN Payments News Blog- Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. (Nasdaq: JKHY) a leading provider of integrated technology solutions and data processing services for financial institutions, announced that it will host a live Webcast of its first quarter fiscal 2010 earnings conference call on November 4, 2009.



The press release announcing first quarter earnings will be issued after market-close on November 3, 2009.



The live Webcast, which will begin at 7:45 a.m. Central (8:45 a.m. Eastern), can be accessed on the Jack Henry Web site at www.jackhenry.com. Please log-on 10 minutes prior to the beginning of the call.



An archived replay of the quarterly earnings call will be available on www.jackhenry.com approximately one hour after the live call.



About Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.®



Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. (NASDAQ: JKHY) is a leading provider of computer systems and ATM/debit card/ACH transaction processing services primarily for financial services organizations. Its technology solutions serve more than 9,800 customers nationwide, and are marketed and supported through three primary brands. Jack Henry Banking supports banks ranging from de novo to mid-tier institutions with information processing solutions. Symitar is the leading provider of information processing solutions for credit unions of all sizes.



ProfitStars provides highly specialized products and services that enable financial institutions of every asset size and charter, and diverse corporate entities to mitigate and control risks, optimize revenue and growth opportunities, and contain costs. Additional information is available at www.jackhenry.com.



SOURCE Jack Henry & Associates



Analysts, Kevin D. Williams, Chief Financial Officer, +1-417-235-6652, or IR,

Jon Seegert, Director Investor Relations, +1-417-235-6652, both of Jack Henry

& Associates, Inc.

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SMA Exhibits at the 2009 Jack Henry National User Group and Technology Showcase

The large annual conference with a forum to learn more about how Jack Henry Banking products and services can help users of JHA products execute their business strategy, better serve their customers, increase their operating efficiency and competitive capabilities.



Houston, TX, October 19, 2009 -- SMA exhibits at the 2009 Jack Henry National User Group and Technology ShowcaseWhen: October 19th - 22nd 2009

Where: Kissimmee, Florida – Gaylord Palms – SMA Booth #203



Event Information: The large annual conference with a forum to learn more about how Jack Henry Banking products and services can help users of JHA products execute theirbusiness strategy, better serve their customers, increase their operating efficiency and competitive capabilities.



About SMA: SMA is a global leader in cross platform enterprise job scheduling software and event driven automation software, with offices in England, France, New Zealand, South Korea, Switzerland and the United States. With 29 years of experience SMA powers some of the most complex data centers in the world. SMA OpCon/xps automation software maximizes technology investments and enables IT process improvements to quickly produce measurable ROI in weeks without armies of consultants. For more information please contact us at http://www.smausa.com/contact.htm .



Contact :

Gordy Drost

Software & Management Associates (SMA)

3939 Glade Valley Drive

Kingwood, Texas 77339

281-446-5000

gdrost@smausa.com

http://www.smausa.com



Press Information:



Software & Management Associates (SMA)

3939 Glade Valley Drive

Kingwood, Texas 77339

Contact Person:

Gordy Drost

Phone: 281-446-5000

eMail: eMail

web: http://www.smausa.com

Mazooma Partners With PETCO.com to Provide Instant Debit Transactions to Online Shoppers

MIAMI, FLORIDA -- (Marketwire) -- 10/19/09 -- Mazooma, the first real-time online debit payment solution for U.S. consumers, today announced that PETCO, the nation's leading pet specialty retailer, has signed an agreement to integrate the Mazooma solution on its Web site, PETCO.com. PETCO will now be able to provide a real time, bank authenticated debit payment option for its U.S. consumers, allowing online shoppers to easily and securely pay for their purchases with cash.



With more than $55 million in annual online sales and nearly 2 million monthly visitors to PETCO.com, PETCO offers a wide range of products and services to animal lovers across the U.S. By integrating Mazooma into its checkout page, PETCO's customers will be able to use their online checking accounts to make secure, immediate payments for goods and services.



"We strive to make being a great pet parent as easy as possible, so we're pleased to provide a simple and convenient way for our customers to make purchases from PETCO.com directly from their banks, without the need for credit cards," said John Lazarchic, VP of E-Commerce for PETCO.



Mazooma enables consumers to pay merchants directly from their online banking as part of the checkout process. This allows merchants to extend their services to customers who want to make purchases without using credit. Additionally, merchants receive instant authorization, which allows them to ship orders immediately and increases customer satisfaction and loyalty. Currently, Mazooma supports more than 70 percent of all consumer bank accounts in the U.S. and has no jurisdictional limitations.



"PETCO is a well known and trusted name in pet products and services," said Paul Phillipson, Managing Director USA at Mazooma. "The integration of Mazooma will allow PETCO to expand its online payments options to their customers, and stay ahead of the curve by including an option for consumers that can't, or don't want to, pay with credit."



About Mazooma



Mazooma was founded to provide consumers and merchants with a safe, secure and convenient bank account payment channel for online shopping. The e-Commerce industry has long recognized that current online payment systems do not provide a platform to service the millions of consumers who cannot or will not use a credit card online. To serve this market, Mazooma developed a system that combines the security and comfort of online banking with the convenience and speed of a simple payment checkout process. Mazooma provides consumers with an instant and safe way to pay for online purchases directly from their bank accounts - authorized through the financial institutions they know and trust. Mazooma provides online merchants with a new way to reach customers and increase revenue, all while reducing their costs of payment processing. For more information, visit http://www.mazooma.com.



About PETCO



PETCO is a privately held specialty retailer that provides products, services and advice that make it easier for our customers to be great pet parents. We operate more than 950 stores in 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as a leading pet products and information destination at www.PETCO.com. Our nonprofit organization, The PETCO Foundation, has raised more than $55 million since its inception in 1999 to help promote and improve the welfare of companion animals. In conjunction with the foundation, we work with and support more than 6,200 local animal welfare groups across the country to help find homes for more than 200,000 adoptable animals every year. Contacts:

Media Contact:

Mazooma Inc.

Rose Arthurs

888-771-1551, ext 244

rarthurs@mazooma.com

New NAC Chairman Has a Single Focus: Interchange Fees

The NACS is getting a new chairman and here's an overview on what his focus will be: 

Jay Ricker, president and owner of Anderson, Ind.-based Ricker Oil, will take over as the chairman of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), and he's got his eyes clearly on a single prize: the revamping of credit-card interchange fees.

Ricker and NACS will unveil a program this week that allows smaller retailers to follow in the footsteps of their larger brethren—specifically 7-Eleven and Circle K—who have asked customers to sign petitions urging interchange-fee legislation.



"[It's] a petition-type drive for all the other retailers out there to try and redouble our efforts. We're thinking it may be the most signatures ever garnered for a petition drive in the country," Ricker told CSP Daily News. "Hopefully that makes some sort of impact on Congress when they see literally the millions of [signatures on] petitions between 7-Eleven and Circle K and then the industry at large.



"I myself will be doing one of those petition drives in my 49 stores because it's extremely important that we get that onerous fee down."



Read the complete story here

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